ECORATIVE  ARI 


DRATIVE  ACT 


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7^f/^r/7S  an^ 


■"^rfroc        /^/vmer 


<^M^^^   /■    U  Ui^.^ 


AflSIKAOT  PATTJSRilS  AND   I^IH  OKiiAilOii 


By 

vlica  Gertruda  Jltunraar     B.L, 


THESIS 

bubmitted  in  partial  op.ticl'notion  oi   the  reiiuiroGierits  lor  the 

de^croe   of 

j)4Ast>::r  or  Aivta 

in 

DiSOOIulTIVS  DiiOICrll 

in  the 
GHADUATi:  DIVISIOii 
ot  the 
UlilViiKdl'n   Ui    OALixuIJUA 

April  26,   1916. 


TS- 


Api>  roved 


Instructor  in  Charge 


ijepOBitad  in  the  University  Library  C 

j^ate  Librarian 


DECORATIVE  ART 


GIFT 


Chapter  I:-     Introduotory:  ijefinitlon  of  Lesign:   ItD  main  divisions: 
its  laws:    its  formo. 

Chaptor  il:-  Tne  oreation  of  jibstract  pattern  ns  dovelopod  through 
symbol iam  or  auperstition  (nysticism);    throui^h  centi- 
meiital  litv.u   or   auatons   restiicting  tlie   character   of 
ornauent;:    tho  pla>je  oi    the  Ahetracjt  £-3   the  highest 
form  of    leoorativci  art,   treatment  of  its  subtle  qual- 
ity:  oodorn  note  of  iibstrnation  in  desi^jn  aa  related 
to  a  Binailfei   tendency  in  the  other  arts:   modern  vol- 
imtaxy  desire   t.o  create  Abstract  piitlern:   methods 
uiied  in  itt    devslcpracnt. 

Chapter  III: -Abstract   p?.ttern  in  raodorn  Api.>lied  deaigiu    in  jewell- 
ery:   in  pottery:    in  uriental  ?irt :    in  Anerioan  designs: 
necessary  oh-inges   in  bringing  an  Abstract  ornament  from 
llure  to  Applied  state:    conclusion. 


'^3f 


LIST  OF  £LA!CB3 


Plate  I 

flat«  II 
Plate  III 
Plate  IV 
Plate  y 
Plate  YI 
Plate  VII 
Plate  VIII 
Plate  12 
Plate  JL 
Plate  XI 
Plate  XII 
Plate  XIII 

Plate  XIV 
Plate  XV 
Plate  XYI 

Plate  XVII 

Plate  XVIII 
Plate  XIX 
Plate  XX 
Plate  XXI 

Plate  XXII 

Plate  XXIII 
Plate  XXIV 
Plate  XXV 
Plate  XXVI 
Plate  XXVII 


-  Abstract  MotlTe  Within  a  Iriangle  ((Title  plate) 
Peaigned  by  Alice  Plommer 

-  Lotus  Motives 

.  Mohaounedan  Glazed  ii^artliennare  Tile 

-  Grreek  Anthamion  Forms 

-  Greek  Ware  and  Meander  MotiTes 

-  Broad  Treatment  of  Old  Velret  Design 

-  Florence.  Baptistry.  Inlaid  Marble  Pavement. 

-  Greek  Anthemion  and  Swastika  Pottery  Design 

-  From  a  Japanese  Stenoil 

-  Persian  Pear  Forms 

-  iilgyptian  Lotus  Forms 

-  Arabesques 

<-  Pattern  Inlaid  in  Marble  in  a  Fifteenth  Century 
Pavement  at  Cairo 

-  Abstract  Pattern     Designed  by  Alice  Plummer 

-  Abstract  Pattern  for  Textile  Designed  by  Alice  Plunmer 

«  Different  Arrangements  of  a  Simple  Motive 
Designed  by  Alice  iPlummer 

-  Other  Arrazigements  of  the  Motive  Used  in  Plate  XVI 
Designed  by  Alice  Pluosner 

-  Abstract  Pattern     Designed  by  Allrik^  Pltumner 

-  Abstract  Border  Pattern   Designed  by  Alice  Plummer 

-  Abstract  All-Over  Pattern  Designed  by  Alice  Plummer 

-  Abstract  Pattern  fo  Be  Worlked  j^ut  In  Tooled  Leather 


I? 


Designed  by  Mary  r. Patterson 

-  Abstract  Wood-Block  Pattern  Abstractly  Applied 
Designed  by  Alice  Plummer 

-  Japanese  Stencil 

-  Jewellery  Designs 

-  Old  Chinese  Temple  Kug 

-  Japanese  Silk 

-  "The  Wave"  by  Hokusai 


'.c 


i^    ^    8 


2lBt0  XZTIII  -  Xhe  Viave,  A  Stenoll 

Plate  JJLUL  -  Japanese  Textile  (Silk) 

Plate  XXX  -  Japanese  Stenoll 

Plate  XXXI  -  Japanese  Stenoil 

Plate  XXXII  -  Japanese  Stenoil 

Plate  XXXIII  "   Abstract  Bell%haped  Oounterohange 

Designed  by  Alloe  Plummer 

Plate  XXXIY   -  Abstract  Bell-Sh£ped  Counter  change  He  versed  euid 

Inverted   Designed  by  Alice  iPluiaiaer 

Plate  XXXT    -  Abstract  Design  in  a  Modern  3ilk 

Plate  XXXYI   -  Abstract  Pattern   Designed  by  Alice  Plmoraer 

Plate  XXXYII  -  Abstract  Border  Pattern  Designed  by  Alice  Plxunmer 

Plate  XXXVIII  -  Abstract  Design  from  a  Venetian  Sillc  j^abric  of  the 

Fifteenth  Century  (A  Xail  Piece) 


basA  iK^ 


A&t^M'JjX    .         O^'  1, 


«.  ^  .^  r 


ii 
r 


;  c«--.  X    .      .i.j. 


Chapter  I 
introductory 

Ther«  are  two  distinct  divisions  of  ijoooraulve  xieslgn.  xhe 
are  (1)  i'ure  lioslgn  which  obeys  the  x'rinolples  of  order  and  ai 
at  Beauty,  and  (£)  Applied  x>eRign  which  -  in  adaltion  to  the  s 
ideals  -  is  dependent  upon  rllmeoe.  Material,  and  Constructior 

All  DeslRn  has  certain  deep-rooted  prj-noiplea.  J?hese  are  1 
Laws  of  Order,-  hhythm.  Harmony,  and  3alftnoe.  They  are  applii 
to  the  Tones,  Lleasures,  and  ^hapcts  of  i>eeign.  secondly  is  th« 
hope  for  beauty  which  is  in  underlying  eitn  of  all  l^esi^jn.  a  ' 
may  not  obey  ell  the  Laws  of  Order,  but  it  mist  be  obedient  t' 
least  one  of  them,  and  the  desire  for  aesthetic  pleasure  io  a. 
present. 

Abide  from  obeying  these  principles ,  Design  nay  vary  in  i'oi 
But  here  a^ain  we  encounter  Order,  in  Design  three  i*ure  jj'orms 
oe  considered,-  liiaturalistlc,  Geometric,  and  Abstract. 

naturalistic  Design  bases  its  characters  on  plant  or  animal 
forma,   it  depends  for  its  beaaty  on  its  obedience  to  the  abov 
mentioned  laws,  and  on  its  suggestion  of  charming  nature  which 
more  or  less  conventionalized  according  to  the  desire  of  the 
De'.3lgrer.   (flate  II,  the  Egyptian  Lotua). 

Geometric  Design  hns  for  Its  bnses  tho  straight  line,  the  tr: 
angle,  the  square,  the  circle,  the  scroll,  et j, ,  as  its  name  im- 
plies,- any  'Geometric  form  or  forms.  It  depends  for  its  beauty 
on  Its  odedlence  to  the  above  laws,  on  its  combination  of  {jeomel 
forms  or  interesting  repeat  perhaps  of  only  ono  form,  and  espec- 
ially on  tno  t^rlnolple  of  Kxaotneas  which  is  one  of  its  most  ese 
tial  features,   (i'late  III,  a  aohonmedan  {rlazed  tile). 


ui    a 


(2) 
Abstract  I>eoign  difiers  from  either  of  these  in  that  its  foun- 
dation to  the  observer  (  if  not  always  to  the  l*esigner  )  is  laid 
merely  on  fancy.   It  depends  for  beauty  and  appeal  solely  on  its 
Principles  of  Order,  and  its  faiiOiful  suggestion.  It  depends  not 
at  all  on  any  definite  relationship  which  other  designs  have  to 
some  concrete  chape,  /or  a  i'ure  Abstract  Design  suggests  no  real 
rolp.uionship  to  an^  natural  or  geometric  form  In  its  unit.  (Plate 
iV,  the  Greek  Antiiemion) .  xiowever,  if  it  be  used  in  an  all-over 
pattern,  the  design  is  planned  at  regular  intervals  which  gener- 
ally have  a  geometric  basis. 

besides  the  above  pure  forms  of  Design,  four  otheis  may  be 
consiiored  Khich  may  all  be  used  as  separate  units  in  complex 
motives:-  (1)  Baturalistic  and  Georaetr44,  (2)  islaturali  stic  and 
Abstract.  (5)  ^reoraetr*4  and  Abst,ract,  (4)  Heturalistic,  Geonetric, 
and  Abstract.   Ihere  are  many  examples  where  iHatural  and  Geom- 
etric are  combined  in  the  same  single  unit,  that  is,  the  nat- 
ural source  is  most  apparent  but  tho  design  is  planned  in  a 
perfectly  geometric  way,   (Plate  V,  the  Jreek  iieandor  and  Wave 
moti^res).  jnuch  primitive  ornament  is  of  this  type,  oa   for  instance, 
tho  Geometric  period  in  anrly  Jreok  Art, 

All  of  the  above  complex  forms  can  be  used  where  separate  units 
are  employed  to  make  up  a  motive,  a  natural  unit  may  be  used 
with  an  abstract  one;-  (Plate  YI,  Italian  Velvet  pattern).  A 
natural  unit  may  be  used  with  a  geometric  one;-  (Plate  VII,  In- 
layed  liarble  Pavement,  in  the  iisptistry,  rlorence).  a  geometric 

unit  may  be  used  with  an  abstract  one:-  (Plate  VIII,  Greek  Aa- 

i 

themion  and  iiieander  rottery  design),  a  natural  unit  may  be  used 
with  a  geometril  and  im  abstract  one;-  (jr^late  12,  Japanese  stencil 
of  dirds  and  Abst^tcted  wave  forme  in  a  Circle) . 


(3) 
i'rom  my  observation  a  luxlt  oould  noTer  be  Haturelietic  and  Ab- 
streot  at  the  sf^me  tine  from  the  Tery  nenning  and  definition  of 
Abstraot  Design.  Haturelistio  Design  oan  approach  the  Abstract 
by  the  road  of  Convent ionallxat ion.  As  the  Maturallatio  unit 
becjones  more  and  more  Conventional,  it  gradually  loses  its  more 
Haturallstlo  ear-narks ,  emphasizing  instead  its  obedience  to  the 
LawB  of  Order,  relinquishing  little  by  littleitfca  natural  ohfireo- 
terlatios.  Li   the  design  be  developed  further  these  finally  dis- 
appear or  become  so  changed  in  expression  thnt  the  suggestion  of 
nature  is  completely  obliterated.   hen  this  condition  is  arrived 
at,  the  design  is  Abstract.   It  is  Pure  Abstract,-  but  until  this 
time,  through  its  process  of  evolution,  it  would  seem  to  be  a 
Conventionalizofi  iiaturaliatio  Dosign. 

To  follow  the  same  reasoning,  a  unit  would  not  be  (Jeometrio  and 
Abstratt-  lJ"or  fis  long  as  there  is  the  direct  sTiggestion  of  Geomet- 
ric shape,  there  cannot  be  Abstarction,-  and  when  Abstraction  is 
arrived  at,  the  geometric  is  lost  and  the  design  purely  Abstract. 


(4) 

Chapter  II 

In  disouj-alng  the  Creation  of  Ahetraot  Patterns,  there  tppeer 
to  be  several  widely  differing  ways  In  whloh  they  may  be  developed. 
These  can  be  roughly  divided  Into  three  groups :- 

I.  Those  ocourrlng  through  the  repeated  use  of  a  symbol  among 
prircltlvo  peoples.   In  aaiiy  Instaaees  thla  symbol  becomes  so 
changed  tnrough  the  oenturlec  that  it  entirely  loses  its  original 
charctfeer.   Ihon  Its  symbolic  meaning  is  often  gradually  forgotten 
and  the  forei  la  used  only  for  Its  decortitlva  feature.   In  some  of 
these  evolved  stages  It  may  oe  quite  abatraot. 

II.  Those  occurring  through  the  nan -made  lavs  of  certain  coun- 
tries which  limit  the  types  of  design  for  sentimental  or  other 
reasons.   Through  thla  limitation  in  iiohemcedan  ooimtries,  there 
has  been  a  creation  of  very  beautiful  Geometric  designs  and  also 
of  many  Abstract  patterns. 

III.  Those  oocuzrlng  through  the  modern  desire  to  express  the 
Abstract  without  its  years  of  evolution  in  successive  stages  from 
the  iiaturalisilo. 

The  first  group  refers  us  back  to  the  vex^  Infancy  of  4ile  human 
race,  iiistorians  consider  that  Art  was  bom  simultaneously  with 
Religion.  This  would  lead  one  to  believe  that  the  first  art  was 
symbolic,-  and  the  most  nnoient  forms  of  decoration  seom  to  con- 
firm this,  although  the  religious  element  was  very  slight  in  the 
earliest  times.  It  seems  rather  to  have  consisted  of  certain  rites 
which  were  enacted  in  the  hope  that  edible  animala  v.ould  always 
be  plentiful  to  supply  them  with  food.  We  have  come  to  believe 
tht*  the  animal  drawings  on  the  walls  of  caves  of  the  late  quat- 
ernary jeerlod  were  made  In  the  same  spirit,  imlmal  forms  were 


i 


(5) 
also  oarved  on  bone  iaplemGnts  whioh  were  carried  by  the  hunteirs, 
Ihese  earliest  Icrms  of  syaibollsm  are  interesting  to  keep  in  cind 
in  onneotion  «/ith  the  evolution  oi  similar  iottnt  into  Abstract 
one&. 

I  believe  that  the  first  appehranoes  of  Abstract  x«eEitpi  are  in 
evolved  fores  of  syrabolic  ohara^tess.   "usually  the  symbol  as  first 
drawn  is  very  naturalistic,  and  uay  re-ttoour  in  tho  sane  general 
form  for  several  centurieti  with  only  a  few  variations.  As  time 
advances ,  however,  the  symbolism  spreads  to  other  tribes  and  net- 
ions  (especially  if  they  are  conquered  by  tho  first  onej.   These 
tribes  may  act  know  the  full  significance  of  the  symbol  and  as 
likely  they  may  not  have  the  original  natural  forn  in  their  coun- 
try from  which  to  ojpy  directly,   Ihis  necessitates  a  copying  of 
the  design  itself  from  its  appearances  on  some  Implement  which  has 
come  to  them  from  the  conquering  tribe,  or  in  some  other  similar 
way,  or  even  drawing  it  from  memory,   ..hen  e   design  ie  copied  by 
a  primitive  person  who  is  ignorr-nt  of  either  its  symbolic  or  its 
natural  significance,  or  both,  the  lesulting  form  is  almost  in- 
variably different  from  the  original  motive  in  some  essential 
detail.   Ihua  this  copying  often  continued  from  tribe  to  tribe 
through  many  centuries,-  tho  original  Torm  and  symbolic  meaning 
often  forgotten  in  some  lands,  and  in  others  never  Imown. 

General  ly  i,he  symbolic  meaning  long  outlasted  the  original  f  onn. 
Ihus  such  motives  sa  the  Persian  pnlmette  or  pearshaped  dosigx^^aag 
developed  through  the  ages  with  varied  explanations  of  its  symbol- 
ic meaning.  Ko  one  ioiows  certainly  what  this  form  was  derived 
from,  although  there  are  many  theories  and  widely  differing  opin- 
ions regard ing  it.   The  signifioanoe  as  told  to  me  by  a  x'ersian 
gentleman  is  whimsical  in  the  l«8t  degree,   ther  are  two  general 
forms  of  the  palmetto,-  one  which  has  an  upright  point  and  the 


i 


i 


J 


,^  (6) 

other  wbioli  has  a  ourred  one,  tie   said  thet  the  first  was  a  sym- 
bol for  "man"  who,  beoause  of  his  strength,  stands  str^iijat;  the 
second  was  to  represent  "woman"  who  is  more  delioately  molded 
and  not  as.^able  to  undergo  rough  hardsnlpil.  (Thus  she  1b  snown  in 
a  graoeful  ourve).  Another  interesting  explanation  of  the  oarved 
form  is  that  it  represents  the  stnap  of  a  olenohed  fist  whioh  the 
Peraians^  (who  aould  seldom  sign  their  name)  used  in  plaoe  of  a 
cross  or  thumb-print  as  a  oignnture  to  much  of  their  written  mat- 
ter,  it  is  said  that  this  print.  Hie  that  of  a  thumb,  is  never 
the  s.me  for  two  persons  and  that  old  uqo   doos  not  affect  the  in- 
dividual shape  of  it  either,   Ihis  explanation  seoma  f airier  reas- 
onable, ror  it  is  natural  that  when  a  desi^er  made  a  beautiful 
rug  or  otner  object  he  would  wish  to  afix  his  signature  to  it,  or 
even  to  weave  his  sign  many  tiues  ropoated  through  the  surface  of 
his  pattern.  i3ut  another  o:£planation  seeras  eiiually  possible :- 
that  the  form  as  now  seon  is  an  eyolution  of  the  leralan  '^ree  of 
Life  I  original  source  also  uncertain)  with  its  symbolism  of  Im- 
mortality, xiowever  the  forms  originated  the  fact  reraaims  that 
many  of  these  shapes  are  quite  abstract  now.  (Plato  X,  Persian 
Palmettea) . 

aometiines  the  aymbolic  significance  is  forgotten  and  the  form 
has  so  evolved  that  we  only  recognize  its  origin  \'5h9n  confronted 
with  a  number  of  the  Intervening  stages,   I'his  is  true  in  certain 
uses  of  the  iigyptian  Lotus,  As  the  groat  symbol  of  the  aun  in 
which  was  all  life  and  immortality,  the  Lotus  was  one  of  the  most 
important  motives  in  -Egyptian  Art.   it  first  appanred  in  design 
in  groups  of  two  flowers  tied  together  by  the  stalks.   It  is  seen 
thus  on  Prehistoric  pottery  at  Koptos,  and  on  the  earliest  tombs. 
But  through  the  centuries  this  form  boonme  so  changed  -  the  orig- 
inal apparently  forgotten  -  that  the  resilting  form  in  the  iVIIith 
dynasty  is  decidedly  abstract.   (Plate  XI,  Lotus  forms). 


i 


I 


(7) 
There  are  many  other  instcnoes  of  abstract  design  developing 
in  this  way.   Another  example  is  the  Greek  Anthemion.   The  ques- 
tion as  to  the  inspiration  of  this  motivo  has  aroused  much  dis- 
cussion,  .alter  Jr^ne  and  other  well-imown  designers  have  called 
it  the  "honeysuoicle"  border.   Owen  Jones  has  faaid  that  it  appears 
to  gave  been  a  clever  series  of  crush  strokes  which  perhaps  sug- 
ge^tied  sonething  more  after  they  were  drav.n.   iiut  W.H. Goodyear 
and  Flinders  i?etrle  have  cp.refully  shown  how  it  undoubtedly  came 
from  the  Lotus.   The  explanations  and  illustrations  which  they 
give  of  successive  stages  in  its  development  into  an  independent 
motive  seem  to  explain  its  origin  quite  conclusively,   uhethor 
their  theory  is  correotorr  whether  the  motive  was  a  series  of 
brush  strokes ,  or  even  derived  xrom  the  honeysuckle ,  is  o^  course 
only  of  secondary  interest  in  this  study  of  Abstract  jjbsign.   The 
fact  remains  that  the  pattern  itself  is  purely  abstract  and  I  be- 
lieve,ass  G.W.Khead  does,  that  it  ie  "perhaps  the  most  perfect 
example  of  purely  ebstiact  omcciont  in  existence",  (r'letes  IV  and 
Xill,  the  Anthemion).   The  ^Jithemion  has  in  these  examples  entire- 
ly broken  away  from  the  Lotus  form  and  has  also  oeen  striped  of 
any  symoolic  meanir^.   it  is  purely  decorative  and  of  course  its 
possibilities  for  excrciaing  the  imagination  of  the  observer  only 
intensifies  its  value  as  a  design,  i-or  it  does  vaguely  resemble 
a  flower  form,-  and  still  nono  of  the  elements  of  a  real  flower 
are  there. 

Th«  second  gruop ,  that  of  ..bstraot  iiesign  which  has  oooured 
through  the  influence  of  the  sentiment  of  certain  peoples ,  has 
appeared  in  u  variety  of  ways  indiff6'ar»Blit  lands.   It  will  be  e- 
nough  to  mention  one  well-known  ixistanoe  of  this,-  the  effect  of 
the  Koran  on  .vrab  Art. 

The  Koran  was  compiled  and  written  in  the  Gth  Oentury  following 


^■^ 


the  death  of  ^ohammod.  Jjaon^  the  strict  rules^laid  down  in  It 
was  the  absolute  prohibition  of  the  representation  of  anything  in  l^y^ 
either  heaven  or  earth.  IJo  living  form  olther  human,  animal,  or 
vegetable  oould  be  used  by  the  iiohaonedans  in  decoration,  but 
this  very  limitation  resulted  in  a  profusion  of  geometric  and  lat- 
er abstract  forms. 

Thesa  influenoea  ere  traced  best  through  the  Art  of  Arabia,  jj'or 
the  Vtrabien  Art  is  purely  Johf^mmedan.  After  thiir  rjori^uoots  of 
northern  Africa,  the  iiitiabitnnts  there  of  Honan  and  Greek  descent 
united  with  the  Artibinns  under  the  Lioaannodan  religion  and  bocane 
Icnown  as  Moors,   in  the  early  eth  century  tae  iioors  wore  aent  by 
the  Arabians  e cross  the  itiediterrtmean  to  opain  to  help  overthron 
the  Visigoths.   In  the  11  th  century  the  iioors  oattbliahed  the 
KinQ'don  of  Grenr.da  which  was  finally  destroyed  \ij   the  Spaniards 
in  1492,  V.ith  this  later  period  vce  aaoociate  the  types  of  design 
known  as  /irabesiiuo,  Araoicque,  and  ^orecCiUe  which  reached  its 
highest  developiaent  in  the  Alhanbra. 

..raArabian  and  Moorish  designers  showed  extrene  sliill  in  spite  of 
their  limitation  in  subject  /natter,   The  intricate  lattice  pat- 
terns with  cleverly  concoiled  plan  of  execution,  tio  inlaid  mar- 
ble oounterohange  patterns,  and  other  forias  of  desijjn  ( soo  Plate 
III  )  indicate  an  extreme  degree  of  artistic  "CiiSte  and  shows  their 
art  to  be  more  consistently  ornamental  than  that  of  any  other  race. 
Because  no  living  forms  oould  bo  represtmted,  and  geoaotrio  deS^gn 
did  not  entirely  satisfy  their  deuire,  their  beautiful  and  sacred 
alphabet  was  also  employed  in  design.  Later  still  nbs tract  motives 
appear  and  are  often  used  in  conjunction  with  the  insoription  forms. 
Ihis  4s  especially  seen  in  iirabes^iuea. 

Plate  XII  gives  three  examples  of  Arabitin  design  which  are  more 
abstract  than  geometric,   But  there  is  a  decided  air  of  formalism 
about  them.   In  x'late  ill!  an  arabesque  motive  is  shown  which  has 
gotten  away  from  the  strictly  formr.l  idoa  to  a  freer  expression, 

-/n  ,-.■»- ^ ,-     TVV     rtmA     TYTT  T      •?  1  1  n  o +:>•»'+.  o 


PlatsB  MX   and  2XS.I  illustrate  a  modem  conception  of  the  Arabian 

type  of  abstraat  omaniont. 

Before  discussing  the  third  or  rcodem  method  of  producing  ab- 

str&ct  design  one  muot  cox;L;ider  tne  aoQtract  ijocittho  standpoint 

/  ■-■■ 
of  its  appeal,   Oomo  Eetural  or  Geometric  basis  eeoms  necessary 

for  txny   design  oTen  if  It  be  Abstract.  For  If  tnere  is  nothing 

in  the  y-.ttorn  *;c  arouse  one's  fancy,  nothing  which  conveys  any 

meaning,  the  design  io  seldom  desirable,  iiut  the  meaning  mr.y  be 

fantftstic,-  it  i^ust  bo  something  vihlch  seta  the  imagination  to 

v.orjtlng  -  in  its  very  subtlety  lies  one  of  its  greatest  charms. 

It  is  for  this  roceon  thet  Abstract  design  is  much  more  dii'ilcult 

to  produce  than  Goometrio  or  HaturHliatlo.  For  "where  the  meaning 

in  their  saaos  is  quite  easily  arrived  at,  tne  Acstract  pattern 

first  charms   the  observer  through  its  laws  of  order  and  color 

harraony.   It  loos  not  boldly  call  your  attention  to  v   meaning 

wnicn  ofton  ntikes  the  dosigii's  obedience  or  disooediance  to  the 

laws  of  ordor  Inconsioicuotis  but  rather  draws  your  attention  first 

or  ;.ll  to  those  very  laws.   Its  space  relationships,  its  rhythm, 

and  Its  bclanoo  i.ro  its  primary  appeals  to  the  individual.   It 

Is  only  after  a  nomor^t  of  appreciation  of  these  well-obeyed  lav^s 

thr.t  one  sees  the  subtle  note  of  fancy  and  imarjlna-ilon  portrayed 

in  the  motive. 

There  is  303e^:hing  yqtj   faacinating  r.bout  aa  idea  which  is 

barely  aiiggested:  something  extremely  t ant r. lining  about  a  thought 

that  is  liot  wholly  grasped,  V/hen  the  meaning  Is  not  quite  evident, 

one  says,  "I  wonder  just  «hat  that  does  mean'  or  'I  seem  to  know 

whAt  that  is  but  I  can't  quite  place  it,-  I  an  sure  1  know  what 

it  isi**  ihis  element  of  mysticism  is  ever  present  in  the  highest   : 

forms  of  all  Art,  I  believe.   It  Is  this  same  inscrutable  quality 

that  has  made  the  Mona  Lisa  rank  with  the  greatest  of  all  paintings. 

So  also  the  greet  Sphinx  at  Gizel  has  been  the  wonder  and  ohrm 

of  civilization  for  centuries.   Its  imanalyzed  qualities,-  what 


(10) 
it  nj«ant  -  why  It  was  out  there  in  the  desert  the  sentinel  of  the 
ages  -  caught  the  vsorld  in  ita  mysljioism.  ilow  that  it  has  oeen 
partially  exoevated  and  we  find  thct   it  was  oarved  out  ol'  rook  to 
aot  as  guard  over  a  little  temple  of  wurship,  the  nystery  of  the 
Jphi^a:  has  been  explained  end  a  good  share  of  its  former  ohann  has 
gone.  ^^^ 

iiow  this  little  tantalizing  unanswered  quality  is  also  present 
in  Abstract  design,  and  it  is  this  I  belftAve  whioh  makes  the  Abstract 
the  highest  form  of  purely  decorative  art. 

When  the  artist  of  today  creates  Abstract  design  he  does  so  be- 
cause that  ia  his  ain.   In  the  past  thiu  wa^  not  i/rue.   The  Abstract 
patterns  which  have  occasionally  occurred  in  historic  design  became 
abstract,  as  I  havo  tried  to  show,  either  through  a  long  evolution 
and  inadvertant  change  from  the  original  ntLuralistio  or  aynbolio 
motive,  or  oecause  of  sone  oeuticient,  ouatom,  or  Iuyi   of  certain 
different  peoolos.   The  independent  desire  of  the  .cosigner  was  sel- 
dom, if  ever,  directed  to\;ard  actual  i-.Dstraction  in  deooration. 

As  a  country  growe  in  an  intclloijtutl  way  the  people  care  for 
end  create  arts  *hich  require  a  greater  disconmont  and  deeper  feel- 
ing to  anjirecicite,   I'he  ignorant  or  primitive  peoples  are  well  ]:?leas- 
ed  with  their  crude  music,  rude  attempts  at  decoration,  and  little  or 
no  litareture,   it  is  only  as  a  nation  beoones  civilised  that  the  peo- 
ple care  for  Abstraction,-  ei-her  in   Jusic,  Literature,  i^ainting,  or 

Design. 

liusic  is  a  good  instance  wherewith  to  illustrate  this  fact.  "Ve 
know  that  the  jdusic  of  durope  bas  undergone  great  changes  since  the 
time  of  the  wandering  minstrels.   Thus  in  Germany  it  has  advanced 

from  the  early  diddle  Ages,-  as  hi've  the  other  Arts  and  Sciences  - 

until  modem   tiraes 

ofitiT  aoaern  times  and  Wagner  whose  pperas  are  the  delight  of  the 

music-loving  world,  modern  music  has  certain  quelities  which  closely 

relate  it  to  the  Abstrract  in  Design  -  not  that  the  music  itself 

could  be  called  Abstract,  for  Wagner  is  called  a  "realist"  -  there 


is  more  and  more  of  the  intellootual  preaont  and  cm  inoreasing  field 
for  the  imagiiiation,   iruly  great  musio  baa  inueiiBe  opportunities 
for  ici&ginatlou  as  haa   Abstract  design,  and  in  the  oaae  of  both  there 
is  something  deeper  than  a  more  ploauing  of  the  070  or  ear.   Jhere  is 
an  inte^leoiual  pleasure  as  well.  lior  is  this  too  apparent  in  either 
ofse.   I  or  unless  one  is  attentive  and  In  a  receptive  mood  the  meanp 
ing  is  often  loot,  end  the  creation  of  the  Artist  or  Composer  may  be 
quite  unappreciated. 

In  a  Dramatic  way  the  i^artheneias  given  at  the  University  of 
oaliioiXiic  shov  h   tendency  toward  Abstraction.   The  subj-^ct  -  the 
awakening  of  wontanhood  -  is  the  same  in  all  of  them,  but  the  inter- 


pretation is  always  diflorent  and  purely  imaginative. 

oo   itodern  design,  as  the  other  Arts,  has  a  ierr.ing  the  same  way, 
iieoo ration  ie  seldon  purely  iiaturallstic  now;  it  is  usiaally  either 
quite  Joi.ventiont-l  or  Abstract, 

(  in  dec&defit  periods  of  Art ,  i>esign  often  beoomes  jo   naturalistic 
that  theie  i£>  little  chejico  for  the  Imagination  or  fancy  to   play, 
x'his  is  espooially  true  in  the  itocociSo  ^'eriod  in  /rtnoe.   The  fee- 
toonod  bouciuote  f  very  natui-al  lookiiitj  flowers,  b^:skets,  bov/kiiots, 
tsto,  -  while  they  htve  a  oei'tain  ohtm  to  the  untrained  eye  -  repulse 
the  person  who  dolightu  in  the  good  oonpositlon  of  lines,  spots,  areas 
ajid  has  *i  feeling  for  rhythm,  harBioiv  ,  and  uuliince.  ) 

I'here  are  tviq   methods  which  we  may  conaider  as  used  by  the  modern 
designer  in  producing  Abatrt.ct  design,  L'he  first  riethod  to  be  dis- 
cussed la  that  in  which  ono  begins  with  a  seetit±lif;^ii.ilbtl?rG43t4nn. 

i'he  Deslguer  may  absently  draw  a  shape  fvhioh  ho  conscientiously 
believes  is  not  based  on  any  concreoe  form,  ijut  unconsciously  he 
has  been  inspired  by  some  thingi  His  eye  is  invariably  attracted 
to  the  motive  which  he  has  made  because  it  has  a  fancied  resemblance  t 
or  suggestion  of  seme  natural  cr  geometric  source.  Plates  ilY  and  iV 
show  two  designs  which  I  thought  I  had  created  independent  of  any 
definite  form.   But  the  first  one  interested  me  uooause  of  its  sug- 


gestion  of  gryphen  or  dolphin  oreaturee,   'JJho  second  we-s  derived 
directly  from  a  wood  narking  in  the  surface  of  my  oak  deak.   This 
design  also  starts  the  imagination  by  its  peculiar  sinuous  move- 
ment of  Tvhat  seem  to  be  some  sort  of  lower  aoiinal  f injures.   The 
next  rlates,  XVI  and  JCVIi,  are  very  elementary  but  are  Riven  to 
illustrate  a  few  of  the  various  ways  that  a  very  simple  motive  may 
be  used.  i*y  little  "polly-wog"  motive,  t\B   it  has  been  called,  was 
derived  irom  an  ink-blot,   it  is  decidedly  Abstract  in  every  detail, 
yet  it  has  a  fancied  roseciblanoe  to  natural  shapes.   This  resem- 
blance is  ■vory  slight  to  be  suro,  but  it  is  nevertheleso  there, - 
euggeyting  the  polly-wog  to  some  people  and  other  natural  forias  to 
others,  Kow  it  is  just  this  little  bit  of  subtlety  which  wins  for 
the  little  motive  a  place  in  i/osign,  j?late  XVIil  is  also  suggetttwe 
but  in  this  case  vaguely  of  flower  forma  perhaps,  21v.vij  XIX   illus- 
trates a  type  oi  Abstreot  desij^n  which  suggests  a  Geometric  rather 
tium  a  natural  source.   It  is,  x   liiink,  a  purer  fona  of  Abstract 
ornament  than  the  others  directly  preceding. 

The  aeoon  method  used  by  the  modern  designer  in  creating  Abstract 
design  is  that  of  starting  with  nature  and  working  toward  an  Abstroet- 
icn.   This  is  <iuite  i.  popular  way  and  often  very  successful.   It  is 
developed  somewhat  ae  follows;-  The  designer  is  inspired  directly 
by  sone  natural  form,  He  first  makes  a  little  skatch,  perhaps,  of 
what  he  sees.   Then  by  oureful  thought  he  eliminates  bit  by  bit  the 
unnecessary  parts,  changing  and  remodalling  the  vrhole  until  he  ar- 
rives at  an  Aostraction,   ( This  process  io  readily  seen  to  be  some- 
whJ^t  similar  to  that  longer  evolution  of  Abstract  ornament  in  the 
past. J   Eis  thought  io  ©specially  diieoted  toward  an  obadiehoe  to 
the  laws  of  order  and  at  the  some  time  he  strives  for  a  note  of  sub- 
tlety,  SometlTueg  in  making  a  design  of  this  sort,  the  spaces  be- 
tween certain  parte  of  the  motive  or  between  the  whole  units  oeom 
more  pleasing  than  parts  of  the  foreground.   Then  the  designer  may 
adopt  some  of  these  spaces  as  foreground  pattern,  throwing  other 


parts  into  the  background.   Thus  the  design  ohrnges  until  t.  complete 
Abstraction  is  reached.  As  the  design  diverges  from  the  iJaturalistio 
source,  so  the  color  mtiy   also  diverge.   The  only  rules  of  color 
which  neod  to  be  observed  are  those  which  obey  the  laws  of  order.  Ihh 
imtural  color  usu»lly  goes  when  the  natural  fern  does.   ?l£xte  X2L  il- 
lustrates tills  method  of  .i.bstr{ict  dealgning.  H   narigold  aood-pod 
suggested  the  shape  to  ne.   When  the  design  had  been  \T(irked  up  to  tha 
desired  stage,  the  problom  of  color  confronted  ne.   The  natural  foann 
was  all  green,   if  this  coloring  had  boon  used  it  woula  indeed  have 
made  a  moootonoua  pattern  beoruso  of  the  genor«l  unifornity  in  tha 
8iz«  of  the  units.   The  only  satisfactory  arrangement  seemed  to  con- 
Bist  of  groupings  of  vcried  color.   This  arrangenent  wt^a  caBirried 
out  with  no  influencse  in  the  choosing  because  the  original  fom 
happened  to  be  all  greon  in  oolor. 

A   beautiful  frost  pattern  traced  on  tho  eide-walk  v.t.s  the  in- 
spiration for  the  design  reproduced  in  Plbte  X2I.   It  resenblos  nat- 
ural fona  in  tho  aug£;©stion  of  leavos  iind  flowaring  part,  but  this 
suggestion  oomoa  not  from  ncture  but  from  the  Abr.tract  which  has 
developed  tovsard  nature,  i'rom  the  little  frost  pattern  a  general 
idea  was  obtainod  and  this  was  developed  gradually  into  an  elaborate 
pattern.   This  dosign  was  made  to  ce  tooled  on  the  cover  of  a  leather 
portiolio.   Thfc  backgrouiid  was  to  bo  workod  out  on  the  leather  in 
a  deaggn  of  smell  stnr-shcpod_fro8t_oryEtals. 

30  far,  in  the  all-cvcr  pcttems  I  huve  shown,  the  arrangements 
were  planned  on  geometric  principles,  although  the  motive  itself 
in  each  ojise  was  Abstract.   But  design  is  not  always  ropo*:ted  in  this 
way.   iJometimeb  the  designer  simply  places  the  motive  at  will,  here 
and  there,  on  the  material  -  wherevor  he  finds  it  to  be  attractive. 
In  such  a  case  the  arrangement  is  ^ibo tract,   Shus  a  design  can  be 
Abstract  in  motivo  and  in  arrangement , too. 

In  Pui'©  i/esign,  i^lle,  .iuzanne  Lalique  has  shown  tho  fascination 


of  iibstract   dosisn  ropet'ted   ut  v.ill  in  tin  Abatruct  nanner.      uer 
oharming  framed  designs  exhioited  at  the  x'tinama  i?aailic  internation- 
al iixposition  were  worked  out   in   ihie  way,      (i  have  been  unable  to 
obtain  a  print,  or  even  a  sketch,   from  her  work  30   I  oan  only  il- 
lustrate the  Aoatraot  arrangeuenl  from  a  eimplo  wood-bloGk  decign 
of  my  own.)   JPlate  XXxI  *iiai-!t!ire*es  this   type.      This  Abstract  ar- 
rangement  is  altio   illuooic  .fcii   lii   tais   K^'j-uueae  stenoix ,   flate  XXIII. 


Chapter  XH 

In  Applied  design  there  are  nany  inatancee  of  Abstract  pattern. 

A  tendency  toward  the  use  of  Abstract  motives  In  Jewellery  de- 
signing is  seen  quite  early.   In  the  seventeenth  Century  there  were 
some  very  sklllf%l  craftworkers  in  i'ranoe,  end  r  nuinber  of  expert 
jewellery  designers,-  among  them,  Jean  Toutln.  ?late  IXIV  shows 
him  Rt  his  furnace  firing  an  eneraelled  jewel,  A  second  print  ^i^es 
several  enaniclled  locXets  of  the  sf^me  period  which  are  beautifully 
designed,  iioot  of  thera  are  Abstract.  A  third  lllustrrtes  modern 
design  tind  is  the  work  of  akiB,   6haw  oi  iioston  mho   Ib  astsociated 
with  the  craft  movement  there, 

i?attei*na  usod  iu  pottery  and  T;arc  ax-o  often  quite  abstract.  iJome 
of  the  modem  types  of  these  are  reproduced  in  trui  otudio  lear-iiooks, 

Ueslsners  often  turn  to  past  worKs  of  art  for  direct  inBpiIa^ion, 
This  tendency  is  Goen  now  and  then  in  certain  periods  of  history, 
and  is  especi-lly  prominent  in  the  j?  irst  Uiapoleonic  suia^lre   vihen  Greek 
and  Homiffi  design  motives,  dress,  furniture,  etc.  were  adapted  to  use 
in  the  life  at  Court.   Artists  have  often  gone  to  the  great  macters 
of  the  old  schools  for  similar  purposes,   in  the  flineteenth  Century 
the  i'ro-I'.aphaelite  Brotherhood  took  as  their  staiidard  of  achievement 
the  art  of  the  Italian  painters  preooding  itaphael.   l^o  them  ( the 
t're-r.aphaoli^le)  we  owe  the  beginning  of  the  Arts  eaid   Crafts  iiove- 
ment  which  goes  to  old  sources  of  douAgn  for  inspiration. 

In  Applied  design  we  find  another  very  Interesting  reference. 
There  is  a  modem  m||vement  in  design  which  takes  ior  its  inspiration 
the  evolved  motives  of  the  peasant  people  of  modern  iiuropo  and  ad- 
apts them  to  use  in  a  wider  commercial  lieid.   The  peasant  art  of 
modem  iiurope  has  grown  through  gonorationa  from  natural  sources  in 
pome  ctises,  from  geometric  c.neo  in  others.   These  designs  have  become 
todaygenerally  either  purely  goometri^,  geometrically  treated  natural 


motives,  very  conventional  natural  motives,  or  neor-abstraot  ones. 
They  often  have  a  do.iiviedly  alluring  deauty.   The  nan  of  this  modern 
movement  take  the  more  suooosaful  peasant  motives  and  adapt  them  to 
such  uses  &s  wood-block  printing,  stenciling ,  and  connercial  textile 
designing.  ^Jmy   of  tueiie  aosigna  are  very  fanciful,-  some  are  ex- 
tremely conventional  troatrients ,  and  others  verge  or  the  Abstract, 
however,  complete  i^bsuraotion  is  not  chart'cteristic  of  these  motives. 
Oalifcriii^  hes  been  brought  into  closer  touch  with  this  movement 
through  the  school  of  ^Ir,   Kalph  Helm  Jononnet. 

The  art  of  the  oritjnt  -  Jhin..  ajid  Japan  -  wnich  is  filled  with 
Bymbolisn,  has  an  ubujaat.i*C6  of  Abotraot  motives,  i.oat  of  these  mot- 
ives are,  of  coui-89^_a,gicbolic  but  the  8"nap«8__t^mB4j^veR  often  purely 
Abietraut. 

^'late  ii/  showB  tho  cicre  or  iesb  iibtilraot  forias  occuring  as  symbols 
in  a  Ohineee  rug.   Jho  Ghineoe  and  Japanese  make  very  Doautiful  de- 
signs having  nbatracted  jloua  ar.d  *titer  forms  in   them,  i'he  cloud 
forms  in  thia  Ohiyese  Ilemple  rug  are  ^fol•y   aimiler  to  the  symbolic 
cloud  motives  in  the  tjapt.nese  silk  pattern  of  clouds  witn  jjragons, 
Plate  iiVI.   The  Japanese  are  eSj^-ooiaily  s/tiliful  in  their  Abstract 
designing  of  spray,  waves,  and  rip^-lea.   "i'he  wave"  by  Uokusai  (iPlato 
iXVII)  is  very  charscteristic  of  this,   xhe  wave  ends  are  ciuite  sug- 
geotive  of  life,  and  in  c'lato  XiVliX  they  have  indeed  become  life,- 
little  birds  which  fly  gracefully  from  ^ho  very  foam,   ilhis  stencil 
is  an  example  of  Abstraction  in  ntture  -  extreme  conventionalization 
with  a^barellp  retained  3ugt:;eation  of  nature  which  keeps  the  design 
from  complete  Abstraction.   The  next,  Plate  XXIX,  is  another  adapt- 
ation of  waves  end  spray  used  with  tho  Dragon  of  tho  .;oac  on  a  Jap- 
anese silk,  i-'late  IX  shows  an  adaptation  of  birdu,  wattpjc  tmd  spray 
to  a  oirolo. 

fhe  spirit  of  Plate  XXX  is  decidedly  different  from  that  of  the 
others.   The  pnttom  is  obviously  repeated  on  geometric  scaffolding 
at  regular  intervals.  There  ia  a  decidedly  lace-like  feeling  in  this 


,me 


(17) 
Japanese  stenoil  -  the  puttem  ia  quite  definitely  flat,  i.e.  having 
no  p**.  speotive.  a.'no  uquf-roa  una.   oiroles  that  lorn  the  ouMu:  borders 
of  the  unite  are  not  in  any  way  geoinetrio&lly  trTie.   They  are  merely 
rather  suggestive  oh^ipes.   Th«  only  definite  hints  of  nature  are 
fovaid  in  the  larger  squt-rish  foirau;  bird-like  shapes, 

'x'he  little  spot  patLern  (ieiate  XULl)   is  also  ^bstraot  but  for  onp 
touch  of  natuie  -  the  ni' ule  le;.f.  ihe  arran^^emont  of  this  stencil  is 
Abstraot,  and  no  two  uuils  used  are  the  oano.   The  feeling  that  thore 
are  four  tones,-  light,  tviio  aidule  tones,  and  a  dark  -  is  very  nicely 
Drought  out  in  tiiia  patterji  in  wiilfjh  the  gradation  of  tone  is  made 
ciniply  triTOUgh  the  arriini;oment  of  spots  of  differing  Bii^ea. 

Xhe  design  in  ^late  iLLiXi  is  i*  coiabiiiation  oi  f^eonetrio  and  Abstract 
stripos,   *ae  goometxio  is  obvicuB,  i^he  Abstract  received  its  sug- 
gestion froiu  joAtura,  xor  these  shapes  are  reallv  evolved  from  the 
pine  tre(j,  i.l though  their  ohargi-    ij  ao  subordinated  to  the  spirit 
of  Abstiaotioii  that  1  think  few  people  would  reoognii'-o  the  connection; 
iiTnTonf-ii'iil^^^^  ttiey  nexe   quite  familiar  %ith  Lue  JapHneoe  decorative 
treutmont  of  pine  trees  vfith  cnoA-y  branches. 

Among  :iiy  own  designs,  the  oell-ohaped  vic-imLerehnnge  (x'lteas  XXXIII 
and  JlXilVj  v.fis  inspired  by   some  .uraboaque  oounterohange  patteiTis 
which  1  had  ridmirod.   fhis  design  could  be  worked  out  in  ciosaio  inlay 
as  a  flooi'  pattern.   It  io  cc.pablo  cf  ooing  reversed  aiA   inverted  if 
80  desired.   It  is  not  a  eoaplete  co unter change ,  as  the  pattern  in 
white  is  not  idezitictl  ;vith  the  pattczn  in  color. 

The  Abstrr-ot  pov.der  pattom  in  Plcte^JCXY  ±l   fron  a  nodern  printed 
silk. 

iPlate  XIXVI  is  an  Abstract  prttern  which  hes  arfkrll  lUiitc  faintly 
suggesting  "cat-tails"  .   it  was  deeignecl  to   be  printed  on  silk  or 
to  be  woven  in  a  brocr^de. 

The  Abatrfict  design  shown  in  Plr.te  iXKVii  was  adapted  from  the 
design  in  i?li.te  XIX.  it  is   shovjn  here  p.s  it  was  used  to  decorate 


(18) 
tho  border  of  a  very  dark  brown  silk  orepe  scarf.  Sjo.   intoresting 
thing  to  note  In  comparing  theee  two  designs  is  the  difrorenoo  in 
pi  eminent  pattern,   Ihis  is  g  rosTilt  of  doubling  the  border.   In 
the  first,  the  grouping  is  in  oblique  rectangulr.r  znneses  of  color, 
but  in  the  other  the  grouping  ic  in  larf^e  upright  o^elu. 

These  two  patterns  give  an  example  of  the  changes  which  alnost 
alwf-ja  (fiust  jcciir  in  bringing  a  p;  ttorn  from  i?ure  to  Applied  Design, 
2here  are  icany  little  alterations  vihioh  are  necoasary  to  be  made 
ani  often  faults  which  were  not  obvious  in  the  original  become  quite 
ap^->arent  'Aihen  ono  trioB  to  u.so  tho  ^jiittom,      iiuch  riinor  changes  as 
making  the  design  larger  or  owaller  to  fit  the  definite  spree  in 
which  It  is  to  bo  used  are,  of  course,  vory  comrsoii, 

oo  Atatract  r'attern  can  be  diecjuosod,  and, in  the  defining  and 
study  of  its  creation, we  find  it  to  bo  the  puioot  form  of  design, - 
a  form  which  has  been  seen  in  hibtorio  art  since  the  orrliost  times. 
We  leern  that  pure  design  is  generally  characteristic  of  the  more 
civilized  nations  and  more  advanced  periods,  and  that  the  use  of 
the  Abstract  is  increasing  voluntarily  now  in  thf  modem  xvorld.  %e 
become  assured  that  this  desire  for  purely  decorati\e  art  is  a  very 
worthy  one,  com,-janding  the  uttention,iab<jroot ,  and  support  of  each 
one  of  US. 


BISLIOQEAfHY 

19 

Henry  Balfour,-  "The  aTolution  of  Deooratlve  Art" 

JS.A.Batohelder, -"Design  in  Theory  and  fraotioe" 

li.A.Batohelder,-  "Prlnolples  of  Design" 

Adam  and  Charles  Blaok,   editors,-  "Oriental  Carpets,  Hoziners  and  Ettgs" 

Chandler  R.Clifford,-  "The  Deoorative  Periods" 

A. H. Christie,-  "iPattem  Designing" 

Alan  Cole,-  "Ornament  in  iiluropean  Silics" 

Walter  Crane,-  "The  Bases  of  Design" 

Lewis  F.Day,-  "Alphabets  Old  and  Hew" 

Lewis  F.Day,-  "Ornament  and  Its  Application" 

Lewis  F.Day, -"Pattern  Designing" 

Arthur  Dow,-  "Composition" 

Mme.   Xsabelle  Krrera,-  "Catalogue  d'iiltoffes  Anoiennes  et  Modemes" 

ETeryman  £noyolopedia  -  1915  -  edited  by  Andrew  Boyle 

Glazier,-  "Manual  of  Historic  Ornament" 

l||p[. Goodyear,-  "The  Grammar  of  the  Lotus" 

fiznst  Grosse,-  "The  Beginnings  of  Art" 

E.G.Hatton,-  "Design  -  The  Making  of  I'attems" 

The  House  Beautiful,  April  1915. 

7,£dward  Hulme,-  "The  Birth  and  Development  of  Ornament" 

Owen  Jones,-  "Grammar  of  Ornament" 

£elley  and  Mowll,-  "A  Text-book  of  Design" 

H.Mayeux,-  "La  Composition  DAooratiye" 

llleyer's  Handbook  of  Ornament" 

John  K.Mumford,-  "Chinese  Eugs"  (  appearing  in  an  issue  of 

"The  Mentor") 
Handbook  of  Museum  of  Fine  Arts ,  Boston. 

Peasant  Art  in  Hussia 

Peasant  Art  in  Austria  and  frussifr 

Peasant  Art  in  Italy 

Perrot  and  Chipiez,-  "History  of  Art  in  I'ersia" 

l.M. Flinders  Petrie.-  "iiPryotian  Deoorative  Art" 


-9A  ee 


«  Hum  ic*xx*: 


^C)iih,T:\V 


2.C 
M.Salomon  xvolnaoh,-  "Apollo" 

Denman  Rosa,-  "A  Thfory  of  x'ure  Design" 

H. Clifford  Smith.-  "Jewollexy" 

H.G. Spearing,-  "The  Ohildhood  of  Art" 

Studio  Year  Books 

Stnrgis.-  "History  of  Arohiteoture" 

James  Gromar  Viatt,«-  "iilzafflples  of  Greek  and  ?ompeiian  DeooratiTe  Work" 

V.fercival  Yetts,-  "Symbolism  in  Chinese  Art" 


I  hare  found  the  above  books  helpful  in  study  of 
the  History  of  Art.  A  few  of  than  treat  in  a  rery  brief  way  of 
the  Abstract  in  Design,  but  I  am  unable  to  give  any  definite 
referenoe.for  the  direct  allusion  to  Abs'.raot  Design  has  been 
very  limited  where  it  was  referred  to  at  all. 


tosoi 


rrjln 


jA. 


I 

'I 

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